Her vengeance

8. saved.

Adira pov.

To say that I was anxious would be an understatement. I was terrified. I didn’t what could be my fate. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know how to react. The men took me where ever they wanted to his me in a place which felt like a warehouse with no ventilation.

I was harshly pushed to the ground before they locked the door. I could hear the door being closed and locked. I was almost certain that it could only be a warehouse. The place had a funny smell that suggested that the place was rarely used. Perhaps it was kept closed for a long time.

I lied on the ground for a while. My wrists were already hurting. The skin on the legs stung me where they had tied me up. The rope that they had tied me up with was too tight. I grunted and struggled as I tried to untie my self. But it only made the pain worse. I wished that I could at least remove the blindfold on my eyes. Perhaps I could recognise where I was. I might even find something familiar.

I tried to lift my hands which were tied behind my back with no success. It was a waste of time and effort. Ugh. I sighed in despair. Regret and hopelessness quickly filled my heart. If only I had stayed back in the house. Soon, tears started to seep through my closed eyes, soaking the blindfold. I was sweating from head to toe. The place definitely was not ventilated. I wonder what they were going to do with me. I wish I had at least thought a little bit more about the girls who had gone missing from our village. I should have known that I too might be a target. I also might be a victim.

I was lost in my regretful thoughts when I thought I heard some people talking outside. I lied as still as I could in the hope of hearing anything. But all what I could hear was incoherent words. Some people were right outside this place.

Suddenly I heard the door unlock. So who ever they were coming inside. I felt my struggled a little thought there was no use. The ropes were too tight. I was sure that it was already cutting through my skin.

“How dare you.” Someone said in a low voice. “get out of here. Now! I don’t want to see any of you here.” He added.

I heard some footsteps leave and another pair of footsteps approach me. I took deep breaths in an attempt to keep myself as calm and collected as possible. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. What was happening? Who was this person? His voice was low, but he sounded familiar.

“Here here. Now I am here to save you. They cannot hurt you anymore.” He said. I furrowed my eyebrows. Who was this? He carefully removed the clothing on my mouth and cut the ropes that was tied on my hands and legs. When he removed my blindfold I was shocked beyond words.

“Charles!” I whispered in complete shock and disbelief. How did he find me so easily?

“Shhh.” He whispered back. “It is a good thing that I have a lot of workers and helpers. Let’s get out of here.” He said before I could say anything else. He quickly helped me to my feet and lead me outside. I looked around. They had put me in an abandoned shack. The vast field spread across till the far end of the horizon, indicating that this place indeed was uninhabited. No sign of another human was there except for the two of us.

I looked at Charles, who was supposed to be my husband soon. I had so many questions. How did he find me? If his workers did, how did they do it so soon? Who were now those people whom he had spoken to earlier?

However, my tongue seemed to have ceased moving as if it had forgotten how to form words. I felt that my heart and my brain was in conflict. I was saved, possibly from being murdered or perhaps sold to human traffickers and I was grateful for that. But, so many questions are unanswered.

I wanted to ask those questions, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I felt as if my heart and my brain was in conflict. I frowned and followed Charles. He was the only one who could take me out of here anyway. I just hope my questions get answered soon.

His car was parked nearby. I climbed in to the backseat and we drove off. I stared outside. The huge field rushed past us and soon I realised that we were traveling in the outskirts of our village. Our village is secluded from other inhabited areas. I guess that made our village a suitable target for the kidnappers. I bit my lips as I glanced at the raw skin on my wrists. It was still stinging. I touched the red skin and winced a little.

Perhaps it was my good luck that Charles found me. If he didn’t, I don’t know what my fate would be.

“You know your family is very worried about you.” He broke the silence in the car.

“Levi found some of your belongings near the forest. What were you doing there?” he asked.

My throat suddenly ran dry and my mouth hung open. My eyes were wide and suddenly my heart clenched with fear. I don’t know how to answer that question.

Charles watched my reaction from the rear view mirror. His lips were in a Grimm line.

“You know, it is not safe for a girl to go to the woods alone. I hope you understand that now,” he added. “I am glad that some of my workers who went to get some fire wood saw your ordeal and secretly followed the van. Otherwise we wouldn’t have known how to find you.” He said and continued to drive.

I stared at him with furrowed eyebrows. Is that how he had found me? I gulped down the accumulated saliva in my mouth.

“I... I am..... Thank you.” I finally said in a hushed whisper. But I am sure that he heard me. He chuckled. I looked at my fingers as I fiddled with them. I knew he was watching me from the rear view mirror. I just didn’t want to make eye contact with him.

“It is ok. Just don’t repeat this. And soon you will be my wife. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He said and I pouted slightly.

Marriage. Exactly what I didn’t want to do. And that was the main reason why I was in the forest. But I couldn’t let him know about it. But soon tears filled my eyes and started to stream down my face.

“What happened?” he asked.

Should I tell him? Perhaps I should.

I gulped down a bit and tried to talk. “I .... I want to study.” I managed to say before my throat blocked.

Suddenly, he braked and the car came to a sudden halt. The inertia caused me to move forward and hit the front seat with force. I looked at him. He was staring at me with a huge frown on his face.

“Study? Girls studying is unheard of in our village.” He said.

I sighed and once again started to speak with a new found courage. Perhaps he will help me.

“You see we have female nurses and teachers. But none of them are from our village. All have come here from some other place. I want to make a difference....” I trailed off.

He looked as if he was thinking about it.

I cleared my throat. “I want to become a doctor.” I told him. He looked at me and turned around.

“But I want to marry you now. And soon all the preparations will be done.” He said.

My hopes of him helping me came crumbling down. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the car seat as he started to drive once again.

The car was soon filled with an uncomfortable silence. I kept staring out of the window as my heart wept silently. So much for my efforts.

It was about a 20 minute drive. And soon we were at our village. I climbed out of his car as soon as he parked near my house. I walked inside the house and found my parents and Levi in the living room. They looked at me with surprise and quickly ran towards me.

Soon I was cocooned in a crushing hug. I smiled to myself. I guess my family members were worried much about my disappearance. Soon, I was bombarded with questions.

Why did you go out alone? What were you thinking? Where did you go? Why did you go to the forest?

To tell the truth, I didn’t know how to answer any of those questions. I just stayed there motionless. If I say the real reason, I would get in more trouble. It wouldn’t make anything better. I looked at Levi. He was scowling at me. He most probably knew why I went. I gulped and made eye contact with him.

He raised his index finger at me and said.

“I am not helping you if you ever leave like that again” he said to me when mom and dad went to talk with Charles. I sighed and looked at my parents who were shaking his hand and thanking him immensely for saving me.

I pouted. I guess I was not getting out of this bond. I am trapped in this.

“Adira. Come and eat something. You must be starving.” Mama said as she walked in to the dining room.

My stomach suddenly felt empty. She was right. I had not eaten anything since morning. But I was too preoccupied to feel the hunger until now.

I followed her and silently ate the food I was offered. I didn’t speak. I didn’t even make a sound. I just didn’t have the will power to talk anymore.

Levi walked in the dining room. I knew I was going to to lectured. He sat down beside me and sighed heavily.

“Adira..... I am sorry. But I don’t know if can help you much anymore. Charles and our parents are discussing about your marriage plans. Charles wants to do it as soon as possible.” He said softly.

I looked at him as my heart raced. No. He wanted to do sooner than it was supposed to?

“You mean ..... Is he trying to have the marriage in a hurry?” I asked carefully.

Levi nodded. “I am sorry Adira. He is saying that you will be safer in his house. I.... You really shouldn’t have pulled off that stunt.” He said with clear disappointment in his voice.

I dropped the spoon I was holding and covered my mouth. What was going to happen now?

I need to contact miss Courtney.